


The Non-Evil (Non-Existent) Twin

by FoiblePNoteworthy



Series: The Non-Existent Twin [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Comedy, Gen, I hope, but i think i made it like angsty, but its still a terrible lie, for once, like it was supposed to be, zuko pretends to be his own twin brother and it works, zuko's not a terrible liar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:46:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21837703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoiblePNoteworthy/pseuds/FoiblePNoteworthy
Summary: “I mean… I recognised you because you’ve been hunting us ever since I woke up.”“I’m such an idiot!” Zuko shouted. “Of course you know Zuko!”The Avatar took a cautious step closer. “So… you're not Zuko?” The Avatar looked doubtful, but he was listening and Zuko could work with that.“No,” he turned back and offered his hand to shake. “I’m the non-evil twin, Li.”Or: Zuko convinces the GAang that he's his own twin brother.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: The Non-Existent Twin [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1573438
Comments: 68
Kudos: 1690
Collections: Avatar, Good_or_Decent_Zuko_With_a_dash_of_Iroh_Azula_Gaang, Quality Fics, avataner





	The Non-Evil (Non-Existent) Twin

**Author's Note:**

> I promise this was supposed to be funny, but Aang's so innocently trusting the tone just didn't want to do that
> 
> (also, i didnt edit it as well as i could have before i first put it up, so i gave it a deep clean - neatened up some points, changed a few lines of dialogue, added some extra internal panicking, explained some stuff better, it became 20% bigger somehow ffs.)

Zuko had a Headache. Both literally and figuratively.

“Do you think we could have been friends?” One of his Headaches was curled around himself on a tree root, backlit by the rising sun, unnecessarily dramatic (he easily ignored the hypocrisy within that statement), while Zuko was laid in the dirt below him. _(Thanks.)_

The boy was, for the moment at least, out of reach; but he’d learned enough from those around him (sister, a liar; mother, an actress; uncle, a politician) to take advantage of a situation like this. That situation being a naïve twelve-year-old extending an olive branch to someone who had appeared to act as an ally.

If nothing else, he might get himself a laugh out of this.

(If he succeeded, he might finally go home.)

Here goes nothing.

He adopted an open expression, forcing his body to relax (he was supposed to believe himself to be with an ally), and turned to show the boy his good side, hiding the distinguishing scar.

“How did you know I was from the Fire Nation?” he asked, pulling the gravel out of his voice, as though he wasn’t the sort of boy who spent all of his time shouting at his crew.

The Avatar frowned, shifting his position from a calm recline to a ready crouch. “Are you okay? The archers kinda got you on the head and I don’t know how to check for concussions…” he started to seem panicked, and Zuko had to push away the confusing warmth in his chest at his concern of his enemy.

_Use his emotion, but don’t let it use you, too._

He let a little confusion leak onto his features, still mostly laid out on the ground, slowly propping himself up on an elbow. No sudden movements.

“I’ve got a little headache-” _actually I’ve got two, but ones getting better already,_ “-but I’m fine. I’ve had enough concussions to know them when I feel them,” _the grain of truth shall sell the lie_ , “But I do need to know how you knew I was Fire Nation. I’m trying to hide here – Earth Kingdom folks don’t like us all that much, if there’s something I need to hide…” he trailed off, giving the Avatar a pointed look and letting him fill in the blanks.

The Avatar simply blinked in confusion, concern taking over most of his face, eyes wide. He scooted a little closer. “I mean… I recognised you because you’ve been hunting us ever since I woke up.” He leaned over his tree root, like he was about to jump down to check Zuko himself.

Well, that would work, too, but it would be better if the Avatar thought he was a friend. He was still cautious. He had to wait at least a little longer.

He jumped to his feet, careful to make sure his sudden movement was _away_ from the boy, to keep him from spooking and running.

“I’m such an idiot!” he yelled, keeping his tone light and quiet as a shout could be, smacking his head for emphasis, (carefully watching the Avatar’s reaction in his peripherals) while he turned away. “Of course you know Zuko!”

_Let him ask, don’t explain yourself…_

The Avatar took a cautious step closer. He was wary, but curious and concerned enough not to run just yet. Even if he did scare him enough to run away, he’d probably come back again to make sure he was okay. He was nice like that.

_(Compassion will only hurt you in the long run.)_

The Avatar was his. This was tricky but it was _working._ He pushed down the jubilation, lest it show on his face. He couldn’t afford to screw up now.

“So… you're not Zuko?” The Avatar looked doubtful, but he wasn’t flat-out refusing to listen, laughing in his face for trying something so obvious, and Zuko could work with that.

“No,” he turned back and offered his hand to shake along with a half-smile. “I’m the non-evil twin, Li.”

 _Li._ The most unassuming, boring, _safe_ name he could come up with. Completely at odds with _Zuko,_ which was what he had to be.

(He was entirely prepared to roast himself if he needed to. He knew the Avatar’s crew didn’t understand the importance of his phoenix tail. Knew he lost his temper sometimes. But _Li_ wasn’t like that, calm and friendly and unthreatening – he didn’t even have the same hair, as far as the Avatar knew. It was still hidden beneath cloth.)

“Li?” And the doubt was all gone. This was too easy. Zuko held back the laughs in his gut, but couldn’t stop himself from grinning. He quickly turned the smile friendly, as he couldn’t turn it off entirely, nodding in reply to the Avatar’s not-quite question.

The Avatar was frozen for a moment. Then he leapt forward, smiling and shaking Zuko Li’s hand and talking a mile a minute, lit up all the way through. “This is _so cool!_ I mean I’ve been wanting to talk to people from the Fire Nation, find out what they’re thinking about the war, and I always want to make new friends – the idea that a whole nation didn’t want to be friend with me was horrible, I didn’t know that any of you _weren’t_ evil, that’s what everyone’s been saying but I knew that was nonsense, I told you about my friend Kuzon already, he was such a good friend…”

Zuko let the words wash over him without listening too closely, letting the boy get them all out before he made his next move. He couldn’t take his eyes off of their joined hands. He, quite literally, had the boy in hand. But he’d managed that before. It was keeping him there that was the challenge.

How hard could it be to tempt the boy into following him? _(And didn’t that thought make him feel like a creep? Maybe he should channel his inner Zhao - in for a copper, in for a gold.)_

“I have supplies in a spot not too far from here, if we’re where I think we are,” he offered, waiting to see how the boy would react before pushing him too far. _Let the other person think they’re the one in control, and lead them elsewhere when they’re not looking._

“I can’t go with you,” the boy said, his face falling suddenly. He was unexpectedly steadfast, but still didn’t let go of his hand.

Zuko disguised his anger and frustration under a layer of false hurt, pretending to hide that as well, just a second too late, a smidgeon too poorly ( _the best lies are often hidden behind bad ones_ ).

“I understand,” he said, pulling back slightly, reluctantly ( _let go of him, you have to sell it_ ). However, the boy remained close to him after the link was broken, so it couldn’t be mistrust. _Interesting._

“You can’t have the best relationship with my brother,” he tried, sure that wasn’t it, but aware that the boy’s reaction at ‘Li’s’ assumption of mistrust would explain the real reason why his act hadn’t quite worked. It helped that this was not only the most likely thing for him to have said, but also the thing that makes him look best.

The Avatar’s eyes widened at Zuko’s perceived offence.

“No!” he cried, hands coming up, moving closer to him. “It’s not that, I promise. It’s not your fault you have such a terrible brother…” he took a moment to hear the words he’d said, then clapped his hands over his mouth, pulling back out of Zuko’s space. “I mean-”

“I understand,” he said. Defending himself would only liken him to Zuko, while insulting himself makes him into a different person. “Zuko isn’t… the easiest person to be friends with, sometimes. Even for the nice twin. He can be difficult sometimes.” He let a little wistfulness enter his expression all the same, looking away from the Avatar as though absorbed in a loving memory of his brother.

Why not make Zuko seem more like a friend? Even if he failed here, the boy might hesitate next time they faced each other, hesitant to hurt someone who must have good in him somewhere, if his good friend Li loved him so.

Plus, as long as he was wrong-footed and eager to make up for things he’d said, he was far more likely to make a concession to him. 

“If not that, then why you can’t come with me? If I may ask?” He had to be careful here, but it was difficult not to push when that was all he wanted to know. What was wrong with his performance? Would he be able to fix it?

“It’s not anything to do with you or Zuko,” he promised again, placing a hand on his arm, not only trusting him but _reassuring_ him that he trusted him. “My friends are sick. I need to get them frozen frogs to suck on so they can get better. You can come with me if you like.”

Zuko took a moment to consider the idea (trying to ignore the sucking on frogs thing because _ew_ ), before dismissing it.

Though the Avatar’s friends were likely sick enough not to fight him, seeing as they currently weren’t _with_ the Avatar, if they were even halfway lucid, they’d never believe his story like the tiny boy in front of him did.

Besides, even if it _was_ just the two of them at their camp, even if his friends were hallucinating or unconscious, it wouldn’t work. Keeping up this lie was beginning to get difficult, and he was tired enough as it was already.

Not to mention that if the boy saw his phoenix tail, (or remembered that he has a _scar,_ and that’s not how _twins_ work, you _idiot_ child, _how have you been evading me this long_ ) he’d realise he was being played. His whole look was too distinctive.

He had the boy’s trust for now, but he still had to get him back to his ship, somehow without him knowing where he was going, and _keep_ him there. It would be easier if he held onto the lie of _Li_ for a later date, when he had had more time to plan.

Plus he needed to get back as soon as possible to establish an alibi. He couldn’t afford to wait for his enemies to recover around him.

Now how to explain… “I can’t,” he started, “I’d rather have as few people as possible knowing about me - that I exist, that it was I who rescued you, especially with Zuko being… _Zuko_ ,” he wrinkled his nose a little at his own actions, even as he gave a little sad sigh, as though he missed his evil brother.

Best to show some small amount of confused loyalties, lay the groundwork for a complex relationship with himself, to make it easier to mend things if he said or did something wrong in the future.

( _‘I’m sorry, guys, I really thought I could trust him this time.’_

_‘It’s okay, Li, I know you have our best interests at heart.’)_

“I know they’re your friends but it’s not safe for me in the Earth Kingdom,” _draw back to an earlier example, keep your story consistent_ \- it was the first question he’d asked, so the boy knew he was worried about being caught first and foremost. It would hopefully be enough.

Maybe he’d even manage to-

“Do I have to keep you secret from them?”

 _Perfect_. The Avatar looked unhappy with the idea, but he was in his debt, and clearly understood it was what he needed. This could work. He knew his ruse had absolutely no chance if the Avatar had a chance to consult his (much less stupidly-eager to-make-new-friends) allies.

“I know it’s a lot to ask-”

“It’s not really,” he cut him off, entirely rightly. “I owe you, and it’s your safety on the line.”

_How was this so easy?_

“I’m grateful,” he said, throwing in a half-bow for good measure, letting out an internal sigh of relief – he’d done it. _Li_ was secure. Somehow.

“But can I ask you a question?” _Dear Agni, what have I missed?_

Any second something could slip, and he’d lose this chance at home.

“Of course,” ( _not_ ). He smiled tightly, turning his bad side to face the boy this time, hiding the panic in his expression – he was _so close_. The taste of success was throwing him off, he was desperate to be finished.

(He didn’t want to sit here while this boy trusted him and smiled at him and called him a friend after three seconds free of attack.)

“Why did you help me?”

 _Ooh_ , this could be useful. He pushed his panic _~~(and guilt)~~_ to the back of his mind, focusing on plotting. “You’re the world’s only hope of peace from the Fire Nation. I’d have thought that much was obvious.”

“You're against the war?” His eyes widened in hope. What was he thinking? For such an expressive kid, he could be hard to read. Everything got confused in all the input.

He rubbed at the back of his neck, as though indecisive. “I suppose so. The Firelord’s my father, but the war is-” _just force it out, you don’t have to believe it, just tell him what he thinks_ , “The war’s wrong. Too many people have been hurt and for what? It can’t be allowed to continue.”

Was he a better actor than he’d thought, or was the boy too distracted to see the disgust he’d pushed so far down he couldn’t even feel it?

The Avatar leapt forwards and grabbed his hand, his face lit up with glee. “You have to come with us!” _Hadn’t he already explained why he wasn’t doing that?_ “You can join us, you’ll be safe enough with the rest of us, you can teach me firebending, and when we’ve defeated the Firelord you can be the new one! The bloodline’s important to the Fire Nation, right? You're a Royal, but you're on our side!”

Betray his country and his father and his people. Teach his worst enemy to defend himself against his kin. Steal his father’s position.

(End the war. Go home.)

He yanked his hand out of the Avatar’s grip roughly, almost pulling the boy towards him, even though he wanted nothing more than to be rid of him completely. His stomach churned with self-loathing and fear – that he could even pretend to be willing to… Did this boy have no sense of honour? Of family?

He realised too late the opportunity he’d thrown away with his blatant anger and disgust _~~(and fear)~~_ , and scrambled to mend it, even as he knew he could never take the boy up on his offer.

“I can’t help you,” he said, feeling how his voice shook with anger and heightening his tone to make it into fear. “My father – he would-” he didn’t have to fake the shudder at the thought of what his father would do if he truly betrayed him.

_(Wreathed in flames, that huge hand coming towards him.)_

He felt his own hand coming up not his scar, saw the boy’s eyes following the movement.

“Besides,” he schooled his expression into a more neutral one, but allowed it to slip back into fear (false, of course, just to trick the Avatar), “I can’t teach you firebending. I don't really... bend. It's always been too weak for me to do much with it.”

_There, put more distance between yourself and Zuko, you're just lying to the Avatar, that’s all, you don’t need to think about anything else, none of this matters, none of what you say is real, it’s okay._

“You can’t…” the boy’s eyes went over his shoulder to his sword hilts. He hadn’t bended during the fight for the same reason as he claimed to find it difficult to now. He needed to be distinctive from Zuko. Zuko was a firebender. The Blue Spirit and Li were both swordsmen.

He'd considered claiming to be a non-bender, but wanted to keep the option on the table, in case he should he ever need it, or decide to pretend to take the Avatar up on his offer.

“I’m sorry,” the boy said, as though it was oh-so-terrible to be such a weak bender (he might as well be, with bending as weak as his, (he needed these spirits-damned _swords_ ) but it sure as Koh was coming in handy now).

He let out a little sigh, as though he was upset, which he supposed he would have been, had he truly been such a useless heir as to be completely without fire. “It doesn’t matter.”

He looked to the sky, the sunrise starting in earnest, now. “I have to go,” he kept his words a little curt, let his upset bubble to the surface, hoping to discourage any similar veins of questioning in the future.

He nodded towards the advancing dawn as explanation for his departure, but they both knew the _(false)_ truth. “There are people expecting me.”

The boy looked a little upset at the dismissal, but accepted it. He could see how he’d rattled Zuko, asking things of him that he had no right to.

“I should get going, too.” He said, no apology in his words but plenty in his tone.

And with that, the Avatar flitted off through the trees, as though he weighed nothing at all. Gone.

For now, at least.

Zuko retrieved his mask and swords, and let a little smile cross his face. He hadn’t quite succeeded today, but he’d secured his future success.

The boy believed him to be an ally. He trusted him.

(Even when he’d thought him an enemy, he’d been so concerned about him.

When he realised he wasn’t, he was so happy to meet him. He thought them friends.)

Zuko tucked those confusing feelings beneath the thought of spicy food and warm beaches and turtleduck ponds and his father’s approval, and turned to make his way back to the Wani.

**Author's Note:**

> what did you like? what did you hate? did it actually end up being funny, or did the tone shift towards the end wreck it? do i need to edit it more? (Probably) because the second chapter is pure comedy, there is no tumble into the depths of whatever it was Zuko did here
> 
> (edit: i finished the second bit and it happened again, im sorry, but it was funny for a minute there)
> 
> also is there anything y'all want to see happen? i wanna write more with this idea so just like. gimme.


End file.
